Supercars: Scott McLaughlin takes another step towards history with Winton sweep

Contributor
James Pavey
Supercars: Scott McLaughlin takes another step towards history with Winton sweep image

Scott McLaughlin began the day with a big margin in qualifying, and ended it with another race victory.

Winton was McLaughlin's playground for the weekend, and he continued his 2019 dominance on Sunday to lead a Shell 1-2, the team's sixth of the season.

For McLaughlin, it was another step towards history as he looks to defend his championship crown.

It was win No. 10 for the year for McLaughlin from just 14 races - or 13 starts, if you factor in his Albert Park non-start following a bizarre warm-up lap tangle.

There are 16 races remaining in 2019, and the wins record for a season - 16 - set by Craig Lowndes in 1996 is genuinely under threat.

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MORE:  McLaughlin survives intra-team clash to claim Winton thriller

Sunday's race appeared set for a procession until Will Davison's Milwaukee Mustang gave up the ghost on lap 58. The resultant safety car bunched the field together and wiped away McLaughlin's advantage.

While the threat from behind remained, McLaughlin nailed the restart and staved off the six-lap sprint to the flag.

It was a docile start to the race for the Shell duo compared to Saturday's drama, with McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard sprinting away off the line.

Championship leader McLaughlin was never headed, with Coulthard and Whincup rounding out the podium at race's end.

David Reynolds fell just short of making it two podiums for the weekend, while Lee Holdsworth impressed in a run to fifth, his best result of the season.

Chaz Mostert had a shocker of a day, bowling a massive wide on the first lap after starting fifth.


He then copped a penalty for punting James Courtney off at the penultimate corner on lap 28.


Tickford brought Mostert in during the safety car period and he climbed to 10th at the flag on fresh rubber, marking a solid comeback considering his rotten day.

Cameron Waters, Shane van Gisbergen, Scott Pye and Nick Percat finished ahead of Mostert to complete the top 10.

McLaughlin extended his championship lead to 244 points over Coulthard ahead of the next round in Darwin, to be held at Hidden Valley Raceway on June 14-16.

SUPERCARS: WINTON SUPERSPRINT

RACE 14 RESULTS

Position Driver Car Margin
1stScott McLaughlinFord 
2ndFabian CoulthardFord+0.766
3rdJamie WhincupHolden+1.988
4thDavid ReynoldsHolden+4.354
5thLee HoldsworthFord+5.393
6thCameron WatersFord+7.767
7thShane van GisbergenHolden+8.261
8thScott PyeHolden+9.014
9thNick PercatHolden+9.240
10thChaz MostertFord+9.491
11thAndre HeimgartnerNissan+12.779
12thTim SladeHolden+13.087
13thJames CourtneyHolden+13.824
14thChris PitherHolden+14.314
15thTodd HazelwoodHolden+14.939
16thMacauley JonesHolden+15.217
17thAnton de PasqualeHolden+15.566
18thGarry JacobsonNissan+15.917
19thJames GoldingHolden+17.378
20thJack Le BrocqHolden+22.975
21stJack SmithHolden+1 LAP
22ndMark WinterbottomHolden+1 LAP
23rdSimona De SilvestroNissan+1 LAP
DNFWill DavisonFord 
DNFRick KellyNissan 

SUPERCARS: CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

AFTER RACE 14

PositionDriverCarPoints/Margin
1stScott McLaughlinFord1646
2ndFabian CoulthardFord-244
3rdShane van GisbergenHolden-415
4thDavid ReynoldsHolden-426
5thJamie WhincupHolden-478